“Tengerhez magyar, el a tengerhez” (to the sea, Hungarians, forward to the sea), used to say Hungarian famous statesman Lajos Kossuth in 1846. And this was not a call to his land-locked country’s sea lovers to spend their summer holiday in Croatia but rather an urge to connect Budapest to the ports of the Adriatic. 17 years later Kossuth saw his dream come true when the Austria-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 enabled Hungary to construct its own railway line through Karlovac and all the way to Rijeka. Yet the enterprise was far from being a smooth one.
The first railways in Croatia were built by the Imperial Royal Privileged Austrian Southern Railway Company (Die k.k. privilegierte Südbahn-Gesellschaft). After connecting Zagreb by rail with the rest of the Monarchy via Zidani Most and Ljubljana in 1862, it built a railway to Karlovac that opened on 1 June 1865. While Austria was long enjoying the benefits that the rail connection with Trieste seaport had been providing since 1857, Hungary was waiting for a chance to build its own. With the reformation of the monarchy into Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867, Hungary was granted rights to port of Rijeka, and Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) started quickly building a railway from Karlovac to Rijeka. Austria meanwhile, not to leg behind its lesser partner, began planning a new railway from the Slovenian town of Pivka to Rijeka, stretching some 55 km in length, so Hungary was to hurry with its 176 km rail choosing a route that would allow for the fastest possible pace of construction works, ignoring technical downsides along the way. Numerous shortcomings took a long time to touch up. In winter traffic was difficult, often interrupted due to weather conditions, snow drifts and strong winds (protective walls were built only in 1910). Anyhow, after 4 years of toil and sweat the construction was finished on October 23 of 1873, just a few months after the Pivka-Rijeka line. It is said that 23.000 workers, many of whom fell victim to the adverse working conditions, took part in the construction laying record 112 meters of tracks per a day. M202 railway, as this historic rail is prosaically called today, is part of the Pan-European corridor V branch B, which runs from Rijeka to Budapest. It is electrified and single-tracked. Running 229 km, it is full of curves and unnecessary extensions. For instance, near Oštari after 103 kilometres from Zagreb, the railway approaches the seaside town of Senj for 30 km of air distance only to change direction and head northwest. And not only the railway was extended but it also climbs to 836 meters above sea level only to begin its sudden drop at an incredible steep gradient of 28‰.
Thanks to its interesting history, abrupt curves, steep falls and beautiful scenery it is a great line for every rail fan. You will also admire the architecture of all three major railway stations along the way, namely Rijeka, Karlovac and Zagreb. All three of them were built by the plans of renown Hungarian architect Ferenz Pfaff. Rijeka station was finished in 1891, Karlovac got its own in 1903, and after the one in Zagreb, it is the most beautiful in Croatia. It is also one of the oldest and best-preserved monuments of technical architectural heritage in the country.
Embark on this great journey with us and enjoy our video trip.
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